Hell and High Water

Samuel Fuller's "Hell and High Water" is many things- a chaotic Cold War adventure, a fascinating example of utilizing the generosity of CinemaScope widescreen in the confines of a singular location, and an influence on many films and filmmakers of contemporary times (when appearing in a cameo in Spielberg's "1941," Fuller was surprised to learn that the emerging director carried a print of "Hell and High Water" in the trunk of his car).

The film's use of CinemaScope is perhaps its most interesting aspect, considering the format was widely used during this time for sprawling landscapes of epic scale, in order to fill the wide frame's content with as much visual information as possible. Fuller turned this concept on its head by shooting in this format yet remaining constricted to the interiors of a submarine set. The approach certainly lands a noticeable impact-by the film's conclusion, we feel like we know every nook and cranny of the location, despite its limitations.

Fuller's film follows the efforts of an ensemble cast, led by a rugged Richard Widmark, to uncover and prevent a nuclear plot that could mean full-fledged war, following an atomic incident that will be blamed on the United States.

Arriving on a limited edition Twilight Time Blu-ray, the film has been remastered and looks wonderful. Included in the bonus features are Twilight's usual trademark of an isolated music track (featuring a fantastic Alfred Newman score), original theatrical trailers and a featurette on Richard Widmark, "Strength of Characters.

"Hell and High Water"Twilight Time Blu-ray$29.95https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/hell-and-high-water-blu-ray/